The world has experienced a movement toward more environmentally friendly product packaging, which has gained momentum recently as the world begins to appreciate the ever-growing presence of non-biodegradable waste in the landfills and areas of waste disposal. Companies have tried to explore new options for controlling the amount of waste and costs associated with containers of products purchased every day. Packaging of products, including foods, beverages, personal care products, household cleaning products, and the like are a prime candidate for further action to protect the environment.
Personal care products, such as lotions, creams, hair care products, cosmetics, and the like have been slow to move toward a more environmentally friendly packaging. This may be because the industry is, to a large extent, packaging-driven, with the commercial success of many products a direct result of the public's affection for the packaging that accompanies the product rather than the quality of the product itself. Companies that sell colognes, perfumes, eye make-up, cosmetic creams, etc. may spend much more capital on the response of potential customers to their packaging than their products. As a result, cosmetics and personal care products companies have resisted the movement to more environmentally friendly packaging, leading to significant waste and a higher cost to both the manufacturer and the customer for repeated purchasing of the same packaging. The trend, however, is for both companies and consumers to give credence to the need to conserve resources and reduce waste, and look for new and better ways to preserve both the environment and save money in the process.
One such way in which waste can be reduced is by reusable packaging, The present invention relates generally but not exclusively to the field of materials management, and more particularly to a refillable container that can be used in connection with refilling stations, kiosks, vending machines, and the like.
A hand-held refillable material transfer system may be configured to move highly viscous materials from a remote point of manufacture to a point of sale. The material transfer system may be configured to dispense only the required amount of material without waste, which is especially important when fluids or materials are not easily handled and cannot be transmitted easily or safely from container to container without unwanted exposure. Preferably, such a material transfer system reduces or eliminates costs and expenses attendant to using traditional disposable personal packaging as well as the waste of material associated with most existing systems. A refillable material transfer system may further be configured to use low cost components, such as a non-pulsating solution for dispensing and transferring thick fluids and other such materials.
Refillable and reusable packaging for consumer goods will continue to emerge and become more prominent as the need to reduce packaging waste becomes a moral and economical imperative. Reducing packaging waste is a goal of businesses and governments alike, from municipalities that face the growing problem of landfills and waste management, to companies who need to remain competitive as competitors turn to refillable packaging. This issue will only continue to grow and move to the forefront of the public's consciousness as the problems associated with consumer packaging waste exacerbates.
One solution to the problem of consumer packaging waste is disclosed in United States Patent Publication No. 2011/0225106, where a refillable consumer packaging station can be used to refill consumer products in a specially designed refillable container. An example of a type of refillable container is disclosed in United States Patent Publication No. 2014/0209640. The contents of these references are fully incorporated by reference herein. A personal refillable container is brought to the station by the consumer after it is depleted, and the refill station can refill and recharge the container so that it can dispense the new product without the need for new packaging. The shared savings to the manufacturer and the consumers for this reduction in waste can be in the millions of dollars.
The benefits of such a refill station are multi-fold, as discussed in the incorporated patent applications. In addition to the elimination of waste, the refill stations can provide a wide variety of products that can be customized to the customer's preferences without stocking inventory for every conceivable variation. For example, the refill station may offer a laundry detergent product for refilling the personal container. In addition to the base detergent, scents can be incorporated into the detergent at the refill station, as well as options such as fabric softeners, additives, or other modifiers. The customer can personalize the detergent product to his or her preferences, and create a detergent that is specifically designed for that consumer. The detergent provider can sell more product while reducing inventory, and the reusable container ensures that no waste is created once the detergent is depleted. The consumer simply returns to the refill station, where it is preferably located in a mall, shopping center, or other convenient location, and the consumer's personal preferences are always available to refill the packaging.